Green Sticker Program

1
Green Sticker Program

• - Why the Green Sticker Program?
• - Questar Gass roles
• - Green Sticker Program progress
• - Where are we going?

Nov. 23, 2004
2
Why the Green Sticker Program?

• Safety concerns posed by a change in heat content
  are real.
• In 1998, the Commission ordered Questar Gas to
  manage supplies within a new heat-content range.
• Customers have always been responsible for having
  their appliances inspected and, if necessary,
  adjusted to safely burn the gas supplied by
  Questar Gas.
• In response to changing supplies and the
  Commission-approved new heat-content range,
  Questar Gas began educating customers.
• The Green Sticker Program increases customer
  awareness and action.

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Questar Gass Roles

• Maintain heat value of gas within the
  Commission-approved range. (Commission rule
  746-320-2.B)
• Educate customers about the approved range.
• Encourage customers to periodically have
  appliances inspected.

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Maintain Heat Value

• Utilities shall maintain the heating value
  established in their tariffs and in so doing
  shall regulate the chemical composition and
  specific gravity of the gas so as to maintain
  satisfactory combustion in customers appliances
  without repeated adjustment of the burners.
  (Commission rule 746-320-2.B.2)

5
Educate Customers

• Encourage customers to periodically have
  appliances inspected and adjusted if necessary.
• GasLight News
• Annual Fall Prep campaign
• Public-interest advertising/presentations
• Ask-a-tech/Call center
• Educate other parties about the approved range.

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Others Roles

• Regulators
• Division of Occupational and Professional
  Licensing
• Manufacturers
• Contractors
• Building-Code Officials
• Customers

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Regulators Roles

• Approve the heat-content tariff provision. (Utah
  Code Ann. 54-4-18)
• Determine cost coverage for
• - actions taken to maintain gas within the
  approved range
• - actions taken to educate customers.
• (Utah Code Ann. 54-4-1,-4)

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Division of Occupational and Professional
Licensings Roles

• Adopt nationally recognized building codes.
  (Utah Code Ann. 58-56-4)
• License qualified contractors, specify rules for
  training their employees, certify those who have
  been trained and monitor compliance.
  (Utah Code Ann. 58-55-308)
• with respect to contractors, builders and
  installers the training responsibility does
  not rest with Questar Gas ongoing compliance
  will be performed under the auspices of the
  Uniform Building Code Commission and the Division
  of Occupational and Professional Licensing.
  (PSCU Order Docket No. 00-057-T04)

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Manufacturers Roles

• Manufacture, test and label equipment that will
  safely operate within a range of gas supplies.
• Appliances shall be designed for use with the
  type of fuel gas to which they will be connected
  and the altitude at which they are installed.
  Appliances that comprise parts of the
  installation shall not be converted for the usage
  of a different fuel, except where approved and
  converted in accordance with the manufacturers
  instructions. The fuel gas input rate shall not
  be increased or decreased beyond the limit rating
  for the altitude at which the appliance is
  installed. (International Fuel Gas Code 301.7)

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Contractors Roles

• Install and adjust equipment to operate safely.
• Equipment and appliances shall be installed as
  required by the terms of their approval, in
  accordance with the conditions of listing, the
  manufacturers instructions and this code.
  (International Fuel Gas Code 305.1)

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Building-Code Officials Roles

• Inspect to ensure proper installation of new and
  existing appliances.
• the ultimate responsibility for inspection of
  gas piping, installation, venting and all other
  associated installation for natural gas usage
  rests with the political subdivisions that
  perform inspections generally and issue building
  permits.(PSCU Order Docket No. 00-057-T04)
• The code official shall make all of the
  required inspections, or shall accept reports of
  inspection by approved agencies or individuals.
  All reports of such inspections shall be in
  writing and shall be certified by a responsible
  officer of such approved agency or by the
  responsible individual.(International Fuel Gas
  Code 104.4)
• To determine compliance with this provision,
  the code official shall have the authority to
  require an installation to be reinspected.(Inter
  national Fuel Gas Code 102.3)

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Customers Roles

• Maintain their equipment to ensure it operates
  safely.
• All pipes and appliances necessary to utilize
  service that are located beyond the Companys
  point of delivery, must be installed and
  maintained by and at the expense of the
  customer. (Questar Gas Company Tariff, 7.04)

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Customers Roles (cont.)

• Installations, both existing and new, and parts
  thereof shall be maintained in proper operation
  condition in accordance with the original design
  and in a safe condition. Devices or safeguards
  which are required by this code shall be
  maintained in compliance with the code edition
  under which they were installed. The owner or the
  owners designated agent shall be responsible for
  the maintenance of installations. To determine
  compliance with this provision, the code official
  shall have the authority to require an
  installation to be reinspected. (International
  Fuel Gas Code 102.3)

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Green Sticker Program Progress

• Program description
• Manufacturers support
• Communication
• Actions taken
• Contractor education/actions

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Green Sticker Program

• Goal Educate customers about the need to have
  appliances inspected and, if necessary, adjusted
  for the changed heat-content range.
• Continue to encourage customers to have periodic
  appliance inspections.
• Increase public awareness about the importance of
  appliance inspections during transition period.
• Provide training and green stickers for
  contractors.

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G.A.M.A. Support
We distributed the information provided by
Questar Gas to all of our members who manufacture
gas appliances or gas controls. Also, we have
discussed that information further with the
technical representatives of some of our larger
appliance divisions. Based on our members review
of that information, we now better understand the
situation in which Questar Gas finds itself and
recognize that the program which Questar Gas has
initiated represents a well researched, reasoned
and thoroughly analyzed solution to a complex
problem. Significant changes in the heating
value of the gas being supplied to appliances
will require many appliances to be readjusted.
Frank A. Stanonik Chief Technical AdvisorGas
Appliance Manufacturers Association
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Communication 1998-2001

• 1998 Sept. 2001
• Informed all parties about the program
• Launched Green Bill of Health campaign
• Oct./Nov. 01
• Mixed messages confused customers
• Revised communications

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Communication Fall 2002/2003/2004

• Radio spots
• Bill inserts
• GasLight News
• Print ads

• Trade shows
• Safety fairs
• Public presentations
• TV news coverage

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Field Communications

• Anytime a Service Rep is in home
• Look for green sticker
• Educate customer about Green Sticker Program
• Leave information with customer
• Continue providing Green Sticker service to
  special needs customers

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Customer Awareness/Action Taken
21
Customer Awareness/Action Taken
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Customer Awareness/Action Taken
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Reasons for Delay
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Reasons for Delay (cont.)
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Contractor Employee Training
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Contractor Survey

• Kagel Research conducted 200 telephone interviews
  with contractors during August and September 2004
• Sample confidence level is 95, /- 5 margin of
  error.

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Survey Summary

• 90 were familiar with the Questars Best
  Practices manual.
• 99 of those familiar with the Good Practices
  Manual follow it when servicing or installing gas
  appliances.
• 94 check for proper Btu input as part of a
  normal inspection.
• 94 de-rate for heat content and altitude.

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Survey Summary

• 98 were familiar with the Green Sticker Program.
  
• 76 of those aware of the Green Sticker Program
  believe space and water heaters should have a
  Green Sticker inspection.
• 86 apply a Green Sticker on newly installed
  natural gas space and water heaters.
• 86 will inform customers they need a Green
  Sticker inspection when servicing existing space
  and water heaters.

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Survey Summary

• 92 will apply a Green Sticker to existing
  appliances they inspect or adjust.
• 9 say they have discouraged a customer from
  getting a Green Sticker for various reasons.
• 36 say they have declined to put a Green Sticker
  on an appliance in the past.
• 30 say they need more information and/or
  training regarding the Green Sticker program.

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Where Are We Going?

• Communication
• Duration of transition period
• Questar Gass position

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Communication Plan Messages of increasing
frequency and urgency

• Radio Spots
• Bill Inserts
• Gaslight News
• Print Advertising
• Trade Shows
• Safety Fairs
• Public Presentations

• 2003 Announced 08 transition date
• 2005-2007 Direct-Mail Campaign
• 2007-2008 Monthly message in billing and
  mass-media campaign

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Duration of Transition Period

• A deadline is essential
• 2008 remains an appropriate goal
• The transition period will end when Questar Gas
  and the PSC are satisfied that
• the customer education program has been
  successfully executed and,
• customers have had sufficient opportunity to have
  their appliances inspected and adjusted for safe
  operation.

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Summary

• Were half way through the transition period.
• Three quarters of our customers are aware of the
  program one-third have taken action.
• Customers need to have appliances
  inspected/adjusted to approved safe-operating
  range.
• All parties benefit from completing the
  transition, at which time our customers will be
  safer.
• Cooperation is key mixed messages confuse
  customers.

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Questar Gass position

• Questar Gas is acting within its role to manage
  gas supplies and educate customers.
• Questar Gass role should not be expanded.
• The Green Sticker Program is an effective
  education campaign that should be continued with
  all parties support.

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Green Sticker Program
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